Taiwan indicts five over alleged China-directed attack on comedian

Taiwanese prosecutors have indicted five men over an alleged plot, directed by a person in China identified as “K,” to injure comedian Huang Yi-hao and stop him performing material mocking the Chinese Communist Party and Xi Jinping. Prosecutors say the group tracked Huang, including with a GPS device on his scooter, then staged a car collision near his home on Sept. 11; he suffered a pelvic bruise but avoided more serious injuries. The suspects allegedly were promised NT$450,000, though “K” reportedly withheld part of the payment because Huang was not badly hurt. Prosecutors characterize the case as suspected transnational repression aimed at silencing political criticism, and it follows a separate attack involving feces and paint at a venue where Huang was scheduled to perform. Huang has questioned what the case means for free speech in Taiwan, while China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment.